Game of Stars, Throne of Wars
by Helga Schwarzbaum
Summary: I wrote this in one single breath and had to grin. Promise to gods both old and new - didn't plagiarize it. After Bran's failed attempt to warg opens a wormhole, Jon ends with Rhaegal in a galaxy far away. Kylo helps Jon get back to Westeros on time to fight the Night King. In turn, this act of kindness redeems him just a little in Rey's eyes. Post-TLJ and post-7th season of GoT.
1. Chapter 1

„My Lord", the jittery First Order officer clears his throat.

He specifically ordered them not to disturb him while he's meditating in Emperor's throne room buried deep in the catacombs.

 _Rey, where are you?_

„Kneel before your Supreme Leader".

The man falls on his knees and makes a painful, wailing sound as he yanks against the hard floor of black marble.

He bows his head low and ceremonially, fearing another recklesness on his part will leave him suffocated. He saw his Leader performing this more than once, and not only on Hux.

„Forgive me, Supreme Leader", the man pants while the painful warmth and the numbness in his knee inform him something is broken. „But we have captured a creature..."

They have to pick who'll inform Kylo Ren about their findings – and he definitely got the shorter end of the stick both literally and proverbially. They draw sticks a lot since he became the new Supreme Leader.

 _Wookie, the Resistance? Jedi girl? The Falcon?_

Supreme Leader stands up back again. His face is covered with a mask – again. He wears it ever since he was proclaimed the Supreme Leader. Rumors have it, he killed the late Leader himself and now wants to hide that fact on his face. Others say, his own face is mutilated after the assassination, so he can't breathe on his own anymore and similarly to Lord Vader, now has to use is to help him respirate.

„What is it, Zarkovich?"

„It is some kind of a gian reptilian creature", the officer practically yelps. „It crash landed some minutes ago on top of your palace. I believe it is called a „dragon" in some primitive cultures. Our scientists are perplexed – they used blasters on him, bombs, and the battering ram. But the creature..."

Kylo Ren came closer – the man can see his elaborate mask, a long extension (probably to contain the respirator) falls to his chest, and the place where the eyes should be glare at him like two multi-faceted insect eyes, black as polished obsidian.

„...but the creature proves impossible to kill. It scorched whole squadrons and turned to cinder TIE fighters we send to destroy him".

How long was he in his meditative state? How deep he went in? He tried to track her down by focusing on the glove the Ahch-to water has touched and the glove that retained that pure energy of hers since their hands touched in a powerful vision. But it was all in vain – she blocked herself completely from him. He could sense her presence in the Force almost to the point of pain, but she was growing stronger. And Luke's spirit was there to protect here and guide her. She mastered the art of clouding herself with the Force and it appeared to be impenetrable.

He can't allow be seen weak again – that's why he ordered this mask being re-build and re-designed, with modifications. It serves both as a crown and as a shelter against the First Order prying junta – against Hux whose eyes tend to dart on and from his face, deliberating, scrutinizing...

Both men are aware what he has done to Snoke, but neither wants to act against the other – still their interests overlap.

„Take me to that thing", Ren roars. „I'll deal with it myself".

 _Don't destroy this Palace, you incompetent bunch of fools._


	2. Chapter 2

There is beautiful carnage on top of the Palace, and the surrounding skyscraping turrets are not spared from the havoc.

Such a majestic thing. Kylo Ren is genuinely awe struck. He saw many things of terrible beauty (her fighting in the Throne being the top of his list) but this one comes close.

A giant, winged reptilian, scales glistening in the sun like volcanic glass, roars in pain at the crumbling terrace. He is so enormous that even that immense landing dock has problems containing its brutal strength and size.

He's been hit multiple times – with blasters, with stunners, then with strongest anaesthetics First Order has, the ones they usually use on their captives to extract memories while not killing them instantly in torture. And there is more to it – hundreds of primitive weapons resembling spears dangle from creature's back, sides and neck.

Its wailing is so heart wrenching even Ren's own black heart shudders. After all, he was a Jedi apprentice once and connection to animals was an important part of their training.

If he had a creature like this at his side...

But the beast seems to pick up his presence and sniffs the air in his direction, tensing.

In the next moment, it breathes a bolt of scorching heat and fire his way – Ren is astonished, but not taken aback – he saw numerous traces of fire and bodies scorched to non-recognition on his way here.

Truly imposing.

But he reaches out with the Force and the ball of fire is stopped midway. He struggles with it for some time – such an untamed, raw power – then sends the fire-bolt to the sky.

And as he does so with cold sweat pouring from his face, a figure comes rushing down at him through the dense smoke. A man of smaller stature, he sees – lean, strong, quick and armored with a single metal blade, shimmering in the sun.

A warrior – something about him strangely resembling Rey. But then again, these days everything reminds him of Rey – the court music he hears, the light breeze and sun on his naked palm, the gloves he wore the day their hands touched, and his clothes of that day, the female Stormtrooper he fucks in his lonely despair and that has actual RY initials... number always seems to slip from his memory, and he doesn't care.

There is definitely a strong Light in that man – that's the only reason for him to attack him so foolishly with his woefully primitive weapon, a cast iron sword.

Ren pulls his saber, but takes his time. The sword is no match to his weapon.

But this day is full of surprises – they indeed clash, and instead of breaking immediately, the sword moans and stops dark saber to a standstill.

How extraordinary. Behind him, the wounded beast moves and by the movements of its chest, Ren concludes it's gathering its strength for another fire bolt.

Ren has to use all his Force heightened strength to subdue the beast. It moans, but now not in pain, and collapses into deep slumber.

The man before him is a harder nut. A harder nut with an apparent telepathic connection to the beast. He felt the creature was not in pain and not killed – only sedated and gently at that.

He steps back from their sparing, quick as a mountain lion – but keeps his sword battle-ready.

„Who are you"? He whispers in his strange language – one that Ren doesn't know, but can somehow understand – that happens sometimes with the Force, and after all, he is the most senior Force user alive in the galaxy right now. „Where are we"?

Kylo Ren is amused – genuinely so. This encounter quickens his heart after months have passed since Crait and since she closed her door to him. Everything from that point on is just white noise and a waking nightmare haunted by both Hux and Luke's spirit.

„I am the Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren", he retorts and stands for a moment to examine the man in more detail. He is shorter and there is something almost boyish about his appearance – very young and very pure. But he has a warrior's outfit and a knightly outfit at that, with simple insignia that betray his high rank. There is also something royal to his demeanor – this man is a commander of a great army, very well loved and respected.

If Rey followed him, he'd made her into a version of this man – a true leader, born and bred.

„You are on a planet – city called Coruscant, in the Inner Rim of the galaxy", he adds, since he realizes name means nothing to this man. „And your beast destroyed my palace".

The young man flexes a bit and blinks in utter confusion. His piousness comes through his dismay.

„I am sorry, My Lord", he replies in a hoarse voice. „But your men attacked us first. We were plunged here unwillingly with some sort of a strong magic..."

And he shudders.

The Force – ah, he knew this had to do something with the Force. Perhaps even with Rey – perhaps this is why this warrior of the Light came his way. Who else would he be connected to? She is the only remaining strong Light Side user in the galaxy right now.

This mellows Kylo Ren even further.

„Since we already agreed who I am and where you are", he says with that low voice that mixes both softness and a threat. „It is only right for you to tell me your name... my Lord".

This quaint ceremoniality amuses him still, but the warrior-king doesn't notice it. He's as naive as Rey.

„Pardons, my Lord", the man utters. „My name is Jon Sno... Jon Stark, of house Stark. Lord of Winterfell and King in the North".

He wished at least Davos was here. He wasn't better with the titles, but his spirits would lift his in this strange, deranged place.

„Come, Lord Stark", Ren gestures at him ceremonially and courtously and invites him in the palace. The dumbfounded Stormtroopers clear their way before them. Medical staff proceeds to mend for the survivors, but there are none.

„My dragon", Jon stutters. „You must promise no harm will befall him".

„You have my solemn promise", Kylo Ren could almost giggle at this fairy-tale vocabulary he's using, but intends not to insult his guest. „Nothing will happen to the beast".

In fact, with a quick gesture, he summons his medical staff.

„Secure the creature", he commands. „Let him rest. Mend its wounds. Lord Stark promises the beast will not harm you, but he needs to be informed as soon as its heart-beat changes".

He turns again to Stark, who is by now standing at ease, with his sword placed at his side.

„Will you disarm me"? Jon says, rather sheepishly.

„No", Ren is amused. He still doesn't perceive the sword as a serious threat. „You are my guest. Come – talk to me about your planet".

Only then he realizes Jon has a weak concept what a „planet" is. But Ren is satisfied with stories of lands and continents.

Westeros, Winterfell, the King's Landing, the Iron Islands.


	3. Chapter 3

No, this doesn't lead to Ren's bed: he's straight in this fanfic, people. But it does lead to the Game of Puns.

I am one with the puns and the puns are with me.

* * *

Soon they're in Ren's personal chambers – he could've taken him to the Throne room, but that place is a cavern, not an actual hall. It's full of whispers of dead Sith lords and to someone so far in the Light Side as Jon, it would probably feel like an agony, like he was buried alive in a stone wall. He didn't even consider taking him to the military facilities, because he is either way weary of those First Order curs.

And besides, the high windows arching from ceiling to floor, from one wall to another, give an impressive view of the now demolished landing dock where the beast was left to rest.

Jon approaches that window and inspects the beast and the medical staff swarming around it intently.

„Wine"? Ren asks him, and offers him a full glass of finest Corellian wine.

„Thank you", Jon replies and gulps it all at once, returning his eyes to the window.

Ren almost snorts at Jon's lack of manners, and takes the mask down. He does so only when he goes to sleep, or when he has sex with RY. It helps him pretend her ginger hair is not red, but brown. It makes him feel more alive and more in tune. It helps her, in the end. He makes her come and cry out his name. That is inconsequential, but it helps sustain the illusion of him making love to Rey.

„I am sorry, Lord Ren", Jon remembers and turns to Kylo, and is now slightly confused. He honestly believed the mask was somehow an integral part of his head. Then again, who can blame the man? Many from this galaxy believe the same.

„What do you make of wine"? Ren asks. „Does it correspond to what you have in Westeros"?

„I'm not much of a wine drinker, I'm afraid, my Lord", Jon makes a faint and self-ironic smile. „There is no opportunity to grow wine in the North, the winters being harsh and long. But in the south... it's different. It tastes very much the same. This one is stronger and more bitter, but it's similar".

„Well, I'm happy that finally we have a common frame of reference", Ren says and pours himself a glass and another one to Jon. „Please, take a seat".

Jon nods and takes the seat nearest to the window. He is deeply connected to that animal.

„It was my father's favorite, actually", Kylo mutters before he can realize what he's saying. „The man didn't possess much taste in general, but this one he got right".

Jon looks at him with disapproval. He is an orphan. His mother has died at childbirth – and his father was executed.

The latter makes Ren uncomfortable. Can he read his mind? No – definitely not. But he needs to keep his thoughts to himself from this point on. He doesn't know what possessed him to be so talkative and so open all of a sudden. It's not Luke, although it could be him, trolling his every single day and night.

But this time, it's not the manipulation with the Force, Kylo can feel it acutely. It's this man's presence. The fact he is completely clueless about the planet, the galaxy, the whole Skywalker – Solo conundrum.


	4. Chapter 4

Here it is - as I promised. Because the Night is Dark and full of "You know nothing" Puns.

Also - did you know Deny's dragons are around 60-70 meters long and 7 m high? Neither did I, so now I stand corrected.

* * *

He knows nothing – about Rey, about the Jedi, the Sith, the Resistance and the First Order.

He knows nothing about his crimes and that suits Kylo Ren well. He feels like the loneliest man in existence, which he probably is. The loneliness is by now so soul-crushing he even finds himself tempted to talk to Luke's spirit.

But there is something in Jon still that perplexes Kylo Ren – he is unaware of some integral part of his identity. That helped him, the same way Jakku helped Rey to stay on the Light Side of the Force – if that is help at all.

Ren needs a friend. Needs someone who's not a back-stabbing weasel with his own personal agenda. He wasn't very into the whole camaraderie and brotherhood his entire life, not even with the Knights of Ren. They were only there as a ladder that helped him to get on top of the Order. He had little regret when they killed each other off in sectarian conflicts. It was all part of his training to become Darth Vader, after all.

But Jon simply oozes assurance and confidence and honesty and compassion. Impractical and dangerous things Jedi would appreciate, but it's of no consequence to him – except for now.

„You care about the beast", he gestures at the window. „Why"?

„It's not mine", Jon retorts simply and wiggles in his seat. „His Mistress – or should I say – his Mother gave it to me for safe-keeping".

Safe-keeping: that young man of no more than 180 cm safe-keeping a dragon of 60 meters in length and at least 7 meters in height. It is preposterous and Kylo Ren has to fight against his smile again. But he stays composed.

„Does it have a name"? Kylo asks, partly out of curiosity, and partly because he feels obliged to talk to Jon like a peer would to a youngling.

„Rhaegal", he retorts simply and with some tenderness in his voice. „He is named after his mother's brother. He was a great warrior".

„And what about his mother, this Lady you were referring to"? Kylo Ren asks, sensing there is a deeper connection there.

Ceremonial droids bring in luxurious foods: roasted meat, exotic fruit and vegetables, all sorts of bread and pastry, cheese and sauces. Jon squirms a bit at the sight of the droids, but composes himself.

„Eat", Ren gestures at him. „Please – you must be hungry. Westeros is far away".

In another dimension, to be precise.

But Jon is complied to talk about the mother of the dragon.

„She is a Queen", he says and his face softens – ah, Ren has learned to recognize that face. That's one of the reasons he wears the mask again – it's apparent in all dimensions and all galaxies. „The true Queen of Westeros. She is strong, smart, fearless and beautiful".

Jon is now downright flushed, asking himself why he's so open to this strange man in this strange place with Kylo asking himself the same. But perhaps he is almost as lonely as he is, and perhaps even as much as weary. There are visible scars on him, both old and new, and many invisible ones he harbors inside.

„Her name is Deny", he adds, softly. „Daenerys, but Deny for short".

So they are on such an intimate terms – how interesting.

Ren can't make an abbreviation from Rey. In fact, he can – and that's his Stormtrooper concubine. But it's all unimportant to him, the whole lot of them.

Jon savors the taste of her name, and then savors the taste of the food. He's famished and Ren eats slowly alongside, trying not to pry on this strange man's brain.

But it's too tempting to resist. He sees flashes of him and a beatiful young woman naked, bodies intertwined in a passionate embrace, her peculiar blonde hair overflowing from the sides of the bed, spilled over their simple sheets like molten silver. It's a pleasant image that feels, perhaps, too pleasant for Ren – but he picks up a looming presence. A dark force, coming from the north. There is a great battle. There are another 2 dragons and one of them is somehow turned to that dark force. There is yet another great battle and a boy, not older than 17, tries to subvert the dark dragon to do his bidding. The fate of many depends on his success. And then, something snaps. Something is broken. The very fabric of space and time bends and Rhaegal with Jon on his back is sucked into a wormhole. There is utter confusion and terror at the battle-ground. The dark force flees, but only for some time, leaving the battered and confused armies of the silver-haired queen and the Northerners at least some opportunity to recuperate.

He'll convey to Jon what he saw, with the exception of how beautiful Deny is and how envious Kylo Ren is of what he has seen. It's not the woman he craves – although she is an exceptional beauty – but that sort of raw and intimate connection.

„You are a very lucky man, Stark", Kylo tells him.

Jon raises his eyes and smiles bitterly.

„Hardly", he retorts and the shadow permeates his features. „I was torn away from my army, from my men and my queen. The battle was dangling at the end of a thread. I am stuck in this strange place without chances to get back ever or on time".

Kylo Ren clears his throat.

„Maybe I can help you with that", and tells Jon about all that he has seen. Well, almost all, that is.


	5. Chapter 5

Jon is dumbfounded and jumps to his feet.

„You can see Bran"? He shouts. „That means you can speak to him as well? You must try it. I must go back immediately. I have no place in this world and my men and my Queen depend on me".

Ah, it's Rey on her best, only captured in a male body.

„Yes, I can try", Ren almost sighs. He grew to like Jon's presence in these past minutes... but no, it is two hours that have passed. So it is true – time does fly by in pleasant company.

„Do you have something of Bran's in your possession"? Ren asks.

Jon doesn't falter – he draws out a dagger, unique in design, ancient and beautiful.

So this civilization isn't that primitive after all.

„My sister gave it to me before the battle", Jon smiles woefully. „We're all connected to it".

„That will work", Ren says and takes the dagger.

The vision comes almost immediately to him.

„They are back in the castle", he utters. „They are battered, there are many wounded, but the dead are left behind. The dead... move".

Ren frowns at the image – he doesn't understand this sort of engineering and feels the First Order would benefit from it, but Jon's frantic voice from the distance prompts him to look further.

„Your Queen is alive and well", he says. „But she is deeply worried – about you, and the dragon. There is some kind of revelation..."

Ren gasps. Oh, gods. He really didn't need to see that. Not that he'd be judgmental, because destroying whole planetary systems is much worse than this, but this will be a major inconvenience for Jon, one he won't be able to ignore in the future. He clears his throat.

„What"? Jon is anxious and shakes Ren's shoulder. „Tell me! Do you see Bran? Can he see you"?

Ren doesn't appreciate the touch, and Jon steps back, but jolts of anxiety go through him like lightings.

Ren rushes to find the little crippled boy and sure enough, he finds him – placed on bear's skin in front of a hearth, exhausted from the strain to control the dark dragon, breathing heavily. Men surrounding him, and a beatiful red-haired girl crying at him to wake up.

He describes what he sees to Jon, who's now in a downright frenzy.

„Try to call him", Jon yells in anguish. „You're a powerful sorcerer, do it, please"!

Sorcerer. Wasn't the situation so dire, Kylo would burst into laughter.

But he zooms in. Concentrates. Breathes in. He can almost feel the heat of the furnace, the stench of the battered warriors and the delicate scent of that pretty red-head: she related to Jon by blood.

No one can see him, but he knows Bran can.

„ _Bran"._

The pale and weak boy makes an indiscriminate sound from the floor.

„What is it, Bran"? Sansa screams and falls to her knees, hugging her brother. „Please, tell me. Let me help you. Tell me what to do".

„Pick me up", he says in a hoarse voice. „Let me speak to this man..."

Sansa's emerald eyes are filled with panic. _He's losing it. He's delirious._

But Bran is persistent.

„I see Jon", he says in a broken voice. „And a man wearing black, a sorcerer of some sort. He wants to talk. He knows how to bring Jon back".

They pick him up and place him in a solid wheel-chair: he's so weak that he can barely keep his head up straight.

„Speak to me", Bran whispers. „What is that needs to be done"?

„Reach with your hand to me", Kylo Ren says. „Concentrate on the man and his dragon. Think about your home, about your land and why it's important for him to be there, and not here. Breathe".

 _I almost sound like Luke right now,_ he thinks and shudders.

The boy's head falls backwards as the connection is established. It's so powerful that even Ren recoils and feels as if his rib cage would fall apart.

„Go", he squeezes out through clenched teeth. „Go to your dragon. The time is upon you. Hurry".

Jon jumps to his feet and touches his strange and unexpected friend's shoulder. „Thank you, Kylo", he utters and rushes to the blast door.

„Let man and the dragon go", Kylo shriekes to dumbfounded Stormtroopers.

There is a bolt of energy – a blinding light, almost as strong as when Luke's saber was broken. Kylo hits hard against the table and clashes against the window, only to witness Jon and the beast disappearing in a distortion of space and time. The anomaly lasts for only a split second, but then closes off on its own abruptly.


	6. Chapter 6

_The simplest gesture of kindness can fill a galaxy with hope._ \- A Jedi proverb.

* * *

Jon will have to face with the aftermath of his actions later – Kylo didn't tell him what he saw: his beautiful Queen is his aunt, and she is with their child. But on the upside, if he is so strong that he can bend the laws of physics, then he's more than capable of bringing one Jedi girl with a broken saber back.

He rushes back to Emperor's chambers in the roots of the building. He wears no mask – he forgot about it altogether.

He sits on the floor, legs crossed, his bare hands holding the glove he wore when she was on Ahch-to.

 _Rey._

He waits for awhile – there is movement in the Force. Something coming his way – a change he started. Something akin to Light. The luminescence intensifies and she walks into it, perplexed, drawn to that same light.

She has been bathing and the sight of her being almost completely naked takes his breath away.

 _Rey._

She doesn't shut off like before. She doesn't give him that gaze of righteous anger. Her eyes betray surprise, shock and amazement.

 _You have done something,_ she utters and her face lightens even further. In fact, she is so absorbed by what she sees that she completely forgets about her thin water-soaked tunic that she threw on herself when she sensed the connection was being opened. _Ben, you have done something good._

And in that shimmering light, she smiles at him.

 _Thank you, Jon._


End file.
